Colorado River Crisis: Cows Are Drinking Up the West’s Water Supply

The American West is facing a water crisis of unprecedented scale and the culprit isn’t simply drought or population growth. A growing body of evidence points to a surprising and uncomfortable truth: a significant portion of the Colorado River’s dwindling water supply is being used to grow feed for livestock, particularly cattle. As negotiations stall between states over how to apportion the river’s resources, the role of agriculture – and specifically, animal agriculture – is becoming increasingly central to the debate.

More than one in ten Americans rely on the Colorado River for their water needs, but decades of drought and increasing demand have pushed the river to its limits. The seven states that comprise the Colorado River Compact – California, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wyoming – along with Mexico and over 20 tribal nations, are all vying for a share of the 1.9 trillion gallons of water drawn from the river each year. With record low snowfall this winter exacerbating the situation, tensions are running high, and a Valentine’s Day deadline for a new water-sharing agreement came and went without resolution.

The stakes are enormous. The U.S. Department of the Interior has proposed several options for the river’s future, ranging from voluntary cuts to more drastic, federally mandated reductions. But a critical piece of the puzzle remains largely unaddressed: the sheer volume of water dedicated to agriculture. According to a recent study published in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment, farming accounts for approximately 75 percent of the Colorado River’s annual water usage.

While a variety of crops are grown in the region, the vast majority of agricultural water isn’t going towards fruits, vegetables, or grains. Instead, nearly half of all water diverted from the Colorado River is used to grow alfalfa and other types of hay – almost exclusively to feed beef and dairy cattle. This revelation underscores a fundamental disconnect between water scarcity and agricultural practices in the West.

The situation is particularly stark in states like Utah, where alfalfa production consumes a disproportionate amount of water. Approximately 70 percent of Utah’s water is used to grow alfalfa, despite the crop representing only 0.2 percent of the state’s gross domestic product. This highlights a system where a low-value crop is prioritized over other potential uses, including municipal and industrial needs.

The problem extends beyond alfalfa. Other crops grown with Colorado River water, such as corn, wheat, cotton, sorghum, and oats, are often used as feed for livestock, further amplifying the industry’s water footprint. And the impact isn’t limited to water consumption. The millions of cows in the American West also contribute to climate change through methane emissions, which in turn exacerbate the conditions leading to water shortages.

The current system is rooted in the “prior appropriation” doctrine, a historical framework that grants water rights to those who first put the water to beneficial use. This system, established in the mid- to late-1800s with the Homestead Act, favors older water rights holders, often large agricultural operations, over more recent claimants. As John Matthews, executive director of the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation, explained, “It’s a stupid system, but the problem is that people are really heavily invested in that system.”

While some efforts are underway to improve water efficiency in agriculture – including fallowing fields and allowing farmers to sell or lease water rights – these measures alone are unlikely to be sufficient. The fundamental issue remains the allocation of a scarce resource to an industry that is both water-intensive and economically inefficient.

Negotiations between the Colorado River Compact states are ongoing, with the Lower Basin states (California, Arizona, and Nevada) committing to significant cuts. However, the Upper Basin states (Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming) have resisted similar reductions, arguing that the Lower Basin has historically overconsumed water. This impasse underscores the deep-seated political and economic challenges surrounding water management in the West.

The crisis demands a reevaluation of the status quo. Policymakers, food companies, and consumers must confront the reality that the current agricultural model is unsustainable. Addressing the “cow in the room” – the disproportionate water demands of the livestock industry – is crucial to securing the future of the Colorado River and the millions of people who depend on it. Until then, the West will continue to grapple with a water crisis fueled, in large part, by the needs of cattle.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that the West’s water rights system, based on the prior appropriation doctrine, makes significant change difficult. Established farmers and ranchers have a legal claim to water that is difficult to challenge, even in the face of a looming crisis. This creates a powerful incentive to maintain the status quo, even as the river continues to shrink.

As the Colorado River’s water levels continue to decline, the pressure to find solutions will only intensify. The future of the West’s water supply hinges on a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths and make difficult choices – starting with a serious look at the role of animal agriculture in the region’s water crisis.